no rest for the weary
by wondergirlcassie
Summary: Alphonse realizes something when he and Colonel Roy Mustang stay with Ed at the hospital. (And maybe something of what a father is too.) -oneshot, parental!roy


_A/N: this is just a small something I wrote up after I was inspired (because of a dream I think I had?) it's not been betaed so please ignore any mistakes :)_

 _(to anyone reading my ongoing fic, I'm working on the yj/pj crossover, the next chap will come, promise!)_

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no rest for the weary

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"Alphonse?"

The soft calling of his name shook Al from his daze, bringing him back to the harsh reality that was currently enveloping him. Although he was virtually an indestructible seven foot tall body of armor Al had the oppressing feeling of the atmosphere and erratic emotions weighing down, crushing him.

Because Brother had been stupid- _again_ \- and now he was in the hospital - _again_ \- and Al had no idea if his brother was going to survive or not.

Something deep inside him hurt.

He turned to his left to see the Colonel looking at him with an exhausted face. The man Al was looking at now was so different from the young adult Al was used to seeing, sitting behind a big desk littered with papers and cups of coffee. Instead of the suave, powerful, alchemist who normally always a smug expression with hardly any concern in the world other than ranks and girls, the black haired man just looked tired.

Tired and worried.

Although it was well hidden, Al could see the tension and worry lining his slim body. His glittering black eyes had dark circles under them, his hair more disheveled than normal.

Al would have laughed if the situation wasn't so dire.

(Ed had the ability to do that to people.)

"Al?" Roy called quietly again, so as to not disturb the others in the waiting room.

Al shook his head a little to get his thoughts back on track, instead of worrying about Ed's commanding officer.

"Sorry, I got distracted." Al answered, turning more towards the Colonel. "Is there…Is there any news?" He desperately wanted to know, yet he didn't.

It had been two hours since they'd rushed Ed to the hospital, Al being able to do nothing other than sit and wait for news while Roy tried to figure out what was happening and fill out all the official paperwork.

Roy adjusted himself in the seat next to Al, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "They were able to stabilize him, so the doctors are hopeful." He looked over to Al offered him a strained and reassuring smile. "They say he's doing well, and that we should expect a full recovery."

Al slumped in relief, his amour clanking a bit as he did so. "Thank goodness."

Roy nodded, his eyes flickering over towards down the hallway. "We're allowed to see him, although he is sleeping, so we'll have to keep it quiet."

"Really? That's good, right?" Al couldn't help but hope. Ed's condition was stable and now they were being allowed to see him. Naturally, Al looked on the bright side. But being a suit of armor, the only way of looking at life Al had allowed himself was hopeful and positive. There was just no way he could afford to think otherwise.

Roy patted him on the shoulder, his gloved hands making muted thumps on the metal. "It's definitely good improvement." He stood up, adjusting his uniform. "Come on, he's down this way."

Al followed the Colonel down the hallway and past a few corridors, trying to keep out of the way of passing nurses and patients as much as possible.

He faltered just a bit as Roy stopped at a door and turned the handle, but didn't hesitate to follow Roy through and stand beside Ed.

"Oh Brother." Al whispered.

Ed was laying on the back, his golden eyes closed and his hair splayed out beneath him. He was hooked up to multiple machines and an IV, an oxygen mask covering his mouth to help him breath.

Al might have been the young Elric by a year but Ed looked horribly small, covered by a thick blanket and comforter.

Sitting in one of the chairs beside the bed Al reached to clasp his brother's hand in his own.

He suddenly jerked back, letting go of Ed's limp hand.

"Alphonse?" Roy asked, looked over to him with a concerned expression. "Are you alright?"

"I…" Al faltered. His voice sounded choked, sounding small. "I…"

"Al, what's wrong. Tell me." It wasn't the demanding tone Roy usually took with Ed, rather firm but gentle.

It was times like these that Al wanted, more than anything, for him to have his body back.

" _I hate this_." Al spat bitterly, keeping his eyes locked on his sleeping brother. "I want to be able to comfort him, the way he does for me but- but I can't!" He raised a hand and looked at it, clenching it into a fist. "I'm just metal. All he can feel is metal. It's just cold and distant and-" Al choked off, bowing his head. "How can that support or comfort Brother at all?"

Dimly he heard Roy pull up the other chair next to it and sit down in it, taking a deep breath.

"Alphonse." He said, his tone clipped and straightforward. "Stop that right now."

Al raised his head to meet Roy's eyes, suddenly feeling small under their gaze.

"You give your brother more support than you know. Without you, Ed might not have been able to carry himself forward. He needs you, just the way you need him. Regardless if you're metal for right now." Roy spoke softly, looking back to Ed. "You're what carries him forward."

Al didn't speak. For all Ed griped, swore, ranted and denied, Al knew that the Flame Alchemist wasn't the distant womanizing Colonel he pretended to be. Sure, he gave a convincing show, and never hesitated to push Ed's buttons, but Al could see that at the heart of it Roy _cared_ for him. At times it felt as though Roy was all the support Ed was going need.

But there had been nothing in the Colonel's words other than conviction.

"How…How do you know?" Al was perceptive and observant, he knew that. But he had to ask, shifting his feet beneath him.

Roy was silent for a long time, sitting still, and Al was just about to change the topic when he spoke.

"As you know, I was deployed during the Ishbal War," Roy said softly, his voice strained. Al nodded hesitantly, not sure where this had come from or where the colonel was taking the conversation.

"Well, afterwards, after the war and we returned home…I was, I was in a bad spot." Roy cleared his throat, his eyes unfocused. Al didn't dare interrupt. Roy had never mentioned anything about his personal life to Al before, all of it staying firmly behind a carefully constructed mask.

"It was _very_ bad, and I there were times where I thought it would never end. But, there were a few people, some friends and family, that helped me find my footing again." Roy smiled wryly. "Some of them knocked some sense into me, quite literally."

Al huffed a laugh.

Roy paused, his hair falling back in front of his eyes. "But there was one person, who never had to do anything other than stand beside me. I would know they were there, without any words or actions, just a constant supporter."

Roy met Al's gaze, piercing. "What I'm saying, Alphonse, is that I can be absolutely sure because I've been _there._ And having someone you know and trust, like you are for Ed, is an amount of support and comfort that can't be measured."

Al didn't speak as a warm feeling spread through him. Roy stood, rolling his shoulders a few times to loosen the muscles. He pushed the chair aside and leaned over to place the blanket more securely around Ed's shoulders.

"Alphonse," Roy said, giving him a small smile. "Don't ever doubt yourself again, understood?" Al was quiet for a moment, staring at the Flame Alchemist with surprise.

"Yes, sir!" Al saluted sloppily.

Roy gave a quiet laugh and shook his head.

"I need to head back to the office and finalize the rest of the paperwork-" the _before Hawkeye shoots me_ was left unsaid- "but I'll be back right after." He turned to Al, suppressing a tired yawn. "Do you need anything before I leave?"

Al shook his head. "No, I'm okay."

Roy gazed at him for a while longer, a look in his eyes that Al couldn't quite place.

"Good. I'll see you soon, then. And if Ed wakes up before I get back, let him know that we're going to have a _small_ chat on how to employ a _little_ diplomacy with his future missions." Roy smirked, even though his eyes held seriousness.

Al couldn't help but shake his head. There was the Flame Alchemist they knew.

"See you later, Colonel." Al said.

Roy raise a hand in farewell, checking on Ed one last time before heading towards the hospital door.

"Colonel?" Al called before he fully exited.

"Hmm?" Roy looked back over his shoulder towards him.

"I just…Thank you."

Roy offered him one last smile. "Anytime, Alphonse. Anytime."

 _fin_

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 _Reviews are loved and always welcome!_

 _thanks for reading (:_


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